concussion increases risk of mental health issues in children, youth
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children and youth who have concussions are at increased risk of developing mental health issues, according to a new study led by researchers at the cheo research institute.
the findings should be a reminder for physicians and parents to be on the lookout for signs of mental illness after a concussion, said andrée-anne ledoux, the study’s lead author and a scientist at the research institute.
“this study shows that concussions can be much more than a physical head injury. there can be long-term emotional and cognitive impacts on a child’s life that we have to be mindful of and help address,” she said.
the research compared children and youth between the ages of five and 18 who had been diagnosed with concussions and those who had been diagnosed with orthopaedic injuries, such as broken bones, over a 10-year period.
it found that the children and youth who had concussions were 40 per cent more likely to have mental health issues, hospitalization and self-harm following the concussion compared to those who received orthopaedic injuries.
the study, which was published this week in the journal jama network open, is considered significant, in part because of its size and the period of time it covers. researchers looked back at cases of 152,321 ontario children and youth with concussions and 296,482 ontario children and youth with orthopaedic injuries. it excluded anyone who had a mental health visit during the year before the injury.
researchers found mental health conditions including anxiety and neurotic disorders, mood and eating disorders, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, suicidal ideation and disorders of psychological development were more common in the concussion group than in the orthopaedic group.
ledoux said screening for mental health issues should be routine after a concussion.
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“during concussion follow-up visits, it’s extremely important for physicians to screen for mental health issues and factors that might predispose children to a mental health problem,” she said. early intervention can make a difference, she added, by helping children and youth cope and adapt, preventing some of the long-term impacts.
ledoux, who is also a professor at the university of ottawa, says it is important the message gets out that not all patients who have concussions will go on to develop mental health issues.
“i don’t want parents to be scared of sending their children to sports based on this study.”
but, she said, physicians and parents should be aware of the heightened risk and talk to children about their mental health.
“i think regardless of a concussion we should be on the lookout for mental health issues and be open to communicating about our own mental health. there is such a large stigma around mental health, we are not always willing to talk about it.”
ledoux said the connection between concussion and mental health had long been debated. she said there could be a number of reasons children and youth were at heightened risk of mental health issues after sustaining one.
concussions, she said, “trigger a cascade of biological and chemical mechanisms in your brain” leading to a range of symptoms. but mental health issues could also arise in children who have predispositions and poorer coping skills. a lack of normal activity and socializing after concussion could also affect the mental health of patients, as could pain and sleep issues often associated with concussion, she said.
there has been a growing focus on preventing and diagnosing concussions in recent years. ledoux said screening for possible mental health impacts after concussion should be part of that focus.
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a link to the article can be found here: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2789683
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